Women to hold half of Federal National Council seats in 2019

Emirati women should occupy half of positions in the UAE’s Federal National Council (FNC) in next year’s elections, according to a new decree from His Highness President Sheikh Khalifa.

In a statement tweeted by the on Saturday, the government announced that it would “further empower Emirati women and bolster their contributions to development.”

At the moment, women constitute 20 percent of the FNC’s 40 seats. Among them is FNC speaker Dr. Amal Al Qubaisi.

FNC elections are scheduled for 2019.

On his official twitter account, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said that the move “gives a great push to the legislative, legal and parliamentary role of women in our development.”

Sheikh Mohammed’s statement added that “women are half the society and deserve represent this half in our Federal National Council.”

According to statistics from the General Women’s Union, women hold approximately two-third of government jobs, with about half in leadership positions.

Last week, the the UAE Cabinet has adopted a new package of new national legislative policies and initiatives aimed at empowering Emirati women.